THE BALL HAS BEEN DROPPED....and its not even New Years Eve!

RUSSELL MALIPHANT COMPANY
We have all been there -- something amazing happens -- something you really didn't expect --- and yet, Somehow, Someway, For Christ's Sake!!!! You Drop The Ball!  And there it goes .... Tumbling Into The Abyss.  A friendship dropped.  A call un-returned.  An offer gambled. An Interview Unposted!

Please tell me I am not the only one prone to such actions.  Lie to me if you must. Even I, in all my energized excitement for dance become over-committed and overwhelmed with juggling so many competing roles.

2 years ago, nearly to this day I was given the incredible opportunity to interview one of my most favorite of favorite choreographers, Russell Maliphant of Sadler's Wells.   CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? I WAS SHOCKED!

Russell has worked with so many incredible dancers..(eh'hem Sylvie Guillem -- but she's one of many) RUSSELL HIMSELF IS AN INCREDIBLE DANCER and he makes work right up my alley. Emotional, well designed, movement centered work. It's not cerebral.. it's not some sort of puzzle to be figured out and analysed -- or a mere display of youth.  Its an experience that reaches into your senses and reminds us why we go to see dance at all -- that indeed somethings are best left unsaid -- and expressed through music, movement and the that-which -can-not-be-named "something" of theater.

To this day, I've never seen a more genius use of the haunting music of Satie. After seeing his glorious Afterlight, I was sold! I get downright moody when anyone else tries to use that music. It's sacrilegious in my mind. The last time I saw a concert using Satie all I was thinking was: "Just. Stop. Please. Stop Moving Around.  Russell already showed you what this music can be." I was exasperated. Really, Russell develops in his choreography that depth of feeling that has become all too rarified in today's world, and contains that magical ingredient behind every memorable work -- that is, SOUL.

Nevertheless, after being granted a wonderful interview dinner, and the luxury of his time, personal obligations took over, and writing this blog took a backseat; then time passed, guilt grew -- and well, I didn't follow up and publish our chat.  Yes, I am a bad person. No one would ever accuse me of  great networking skills.

That said, we all really missed out here because Russell and I had an incredible time discussing at length his ideas on his craft. We touched on his incredible life in the arts, discussing his beginning from a working class family to ballet at The Royal Ballet School -- and his surprising path to becoming one of the world's most sought after choreographers of work that is far beyond classical ballet.  Indeed, Russell has built a reputation on utilizing any movement -- from Martial Arts, to moves found in the underground street scene, to ballet, to modern -- whatever movement expresses his vision is what you will see.

We discussed his early inspiration of Nureyev, whose performance left a memory of excitement, passion and charisma that has characterized what he loves in dancers to this day. We discussed his belief that dancers need to really investigate why we are dancing and develop the abilities to be fully expressive in the work. And his need to stop perfecting pirouettes in order to reach deeper into movement as an honest tool of communication.

And yes, you missed learning about the entire point of his last venture to the US -- The Rodin Project, a dance - theater work based on Rodin's sculptures, brought to life before our very eyes by his gifted dancers RIGHT HERE IN NY! I can imagine a work as this being on rotating performances at both the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, and the Musee Rodin in Paris. Yes indeed, you missed out on this -- and the time for those things have past.  And it's my fault.

And I am sorry.

Nevertheless, it has to mean something that Russell is back in NYC NOW! December 10 - 14th at The Joyce, with his newest work titled STILL CURRENT.  I can't help but hope that this title is a sign -- a sign that we are all  survived the ball drop --  and we are still relevant --  mistakes, mishaps and all.

That said - lets move along.

For those of you unfamiliar with Russell's work I implore you to take a few moments to peruse his website, here. You can also learn more through The Joyce Theater Blog, here, where they have written 2 features on Russell and his company for this week's performance. If you are a dancer, dance lover, dance skeptic, dating a dancer, or just a generally smart person, you can't remain in the dark on this company.

THEN AFTER YOU HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT,  IMMEDIATELY GO HERE AND GET YOUR TICKET for a truly special night in the theatre.

It's not often that Russell makes it to this side of The Pond --- so you can't afford to miss out now!

Toi Toi Toi !

Madame B.

WORKING DANCERS

As a self-supporting dancer in NYC the notion of being a "working dancer" takes on an entirely unintended meaning...usually one that announces that while you may indeed be working, you may of course NOT BE DANCING.  

I can't tell you my own struggle to try to dance even part-time!  In fact, I concluded by looking at my bank statements and calculating the number of classes I purchase, that I work so hard to try to find the time and money to dance, that I STILL, after many years in NYC, have not taken the number of hours of classes that equate to even two entire years of conservatory training.  And yet, I am competing with those conservatory kids all the same.  Yay.

Depressingly, asi speak to others, I am finding that is a conundrum all too many of us face -- both dancers and choreographers tend to arrive at the same question:

HOW DOES A SELF-SUPPORTING DANCER AFFORD TO DANCE? 

HOW DOES A CHOREOGRAPHER AFFORD TO
MAKE DANCES AND PAY DANCERS?

So if you are an actual self-supporting dancer, and by this I mean that you are past the age of receiving family support (or you never had it to begin with);  you have no trust fund; you have no prestigious conservatory affiliation that helps you "get an in"; if you are self-supporting in this regard -- as many of us are -- then this means that you need to get a "money job" to support yourself and to support your dancing. 

Now that seems easy enough in a big city -- especially in the beginning when you are driven on pure excitement -- but that excitement wanes once you realize that employers don't like the idea of artist-employees, and even if you are the most productive member of the staff (which lets face it, mostly artists usually are!), they offer little to no true flexibility.  Actually mostly it is the "semi-self supporting" who get those jobs.. those who can afford to take an enormously low-wage because they can essentially depend on support even as they seem slef-supporting.

Then you realize that all auditions are in the morning/afternoon (???!!!!!) and all classes/networking workshops are at times such as 2:30p-4:30p (an IMPOSSIBLE TIME for any self-supporting dancer!).

This all makes you realize that you are relegated to late evening work in order to just have the opportunity to get a paying job.

Then you realize all the evening jobs are too unstable to pay well, and often require working overtime into the wee morning hours, or they are for restaurants who are largely looking for "professionals" -- meaning career waiters. If you are not a career waiter you need to work the shifts the career waiters don't want: THAT MEANS OU ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE: THE DAY SHIFTS! YAY!

This all on top of the fact that the expenses are enormous: Rent in NYC is easily at the very, very least $600 per month (for a room share! your own studio apartment will run you $1,400 and up), and dance classes, which are mandatory each day in order to keep one's skills at a competitive audition-ready level, are $18 a class (adding up to $200 per week) and then you have cross-training costs (the gym, Pilates, massage, physical therapy), shoe costs (for ballet girls, $80-$320/WEEK!) and food, the cost of dancing alone comes to a number close to a yearly wage. 
So you then set yourself to the task of juggling 3 or 4 jobs to try to finagle a workable situation for an opportunity to dance for what amounts to only a handful of companies that actually pay a living-wage large enough for you to quit all your other jobs.

HOLD ON, YOU SAY!!! A HANDFUL OF COMPANIES THAT PAY A LIVING WAGE? IN NYC!!!? 

YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!

Well dearies, YES! I am dead serious.

Even more! You often have to answer to your probing family and friends who are asking, so "where are you dancing"..."when are you going to get a real job?" "you chose this career!".. and on and on. (Why don't they ever say that to Doctors, Lawyers or Bankers who are out of work? Huh?)

The reality is that there are only perhaps 15 companies in NYC where a dancer can work and earn a living. There is Broadway, Paul Taylor, David Parsons, Mark Morris, NYCB, ABT, Bill T. Jones, NY Theater Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Galim (???)....and I am racking my brain to find more. 

Mostly, Choreographers -- even renowned ones! pay terribly little and use "pick up dancers" for each project. Even my own former employer, The Metropolitan Opera AT LINCOLN CENTER, hires dancers per each show. They offer no benefits, no health insurance -- nothing but that amazing opportunity to dance on one of the World's great stages.  This does satisfy the doubters for some time -- but how does one explain, simply, it's not so easy.  

So most dancers receive not only very little in terms of money -- but there is not even the guarantee that you will get more work after the show you are hired for is over. You may indeed, 90 percent of the time, have to go right back to square one -- you may have to take a ton of time off to secure a position somewhere that you hope one day will  reward you with honest to god flexibility! 

Add to this that for each job --  dance or "real world" -- there are literally 1000's of applicants! My first dance job there were over 400 girls auditioning and only 5 of us were chosen -- 2 of whom were our understudies!

The numbers are dire, folks! But before we go into full on Mad Dancer mode, let's look at it from the Choreographer's perspective:

If a Choreographer works with a mere 5 dancers and were to pay those dancers only $10/hour and rehearse a minimal of 2, 3-hour rehearsals a week that cost alone would be: $60/dancer per week, for a total of $300/week salary for the dancers. This of course does not take into account how difficult it would be for a Choreographer to get strong dancers who are willing to arrange their schedules (see above for the difficulty with that!) for only $60/week (this could only cover the cost of the subway for 2 weeks). Add into that the fee for studio space: $25/hour x 6 hours / week = $150/week. Already, we have a total of $450/week  just to get 5 dancers and space for 6 hours a week. Now we have to consider the need for space for the choreographer to work alone -- in order to come up with ideas and movement etc. So lets say another 4 hours a week at the very minimum: that's $100 more. 

Now we are up to a Choreographer needing at the very base minimum $550/week additional monies above his/her normal living expenses. That means at MINIMUM $2200 / month in additional monies.

That totals $26,400 of additional income per year! 

This includes NO extra rehearsals;
NO performance space rentals;
NO costume costs, etc. 

Maybe this means if you want to be a dancer or a choreographer you should either come from a wealthy, fully-arts loving, fully supportive background, OR be an investment banker? 
Unh-huh. That's the reality folks.
Clearly, we are in a place where it is nearly impossible for anyone who is not very-well-heeled and very lucky to even begin!

Yet still, the dance community complains about a lack of new choreographers, a lack of vision, a lack of new and exciting work to see, a lack of jobs, but nothing is said of the fact that dancers can't get ahead and new choreographers are having to compete with large companies with MASSIVE GRANTS and Patrons!

Each week we all spend the greens on Starbucks, on movies and magazines and such, yet when we have the opportunity to go and show support for those who, above all these obstacles are TRYING to create new dances and give work to dancers just like us, we all bail. Myself included. 

And this is exactly why I am trying to bolster us out of complacency and give some honest to god working dancers and choreographers a chance. 

ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 25th (LATER TODAY!) you (yes you!) will have the opportunity to go see working choreographer Chris Master's exciting NY premiere of "ghost of my legs" as a part of FLICfest'13 in Brooklyn. 

"ghost of my legs" is a work that explores a re-construction of an installation created while in residence at an art gallery in Iowa City in 2010.  It is an examination of remnant energies left from relationships past. As a means to anchor the narrative, "ghost" draws metaphoric parallels between these common human experiences and the phenomenology of phantom limb syndrome, a disorder experienced in amputees where the amputated limb continues to feel pain. Amputation and its connection to the existentialism of war, both public and private, are used here to give a precipice to the dance. People come and go, and we are investigating how these relationships, whether familial or intimate or professional, leave a lasting impression on the historical body and the sensorium.  Building something great, and taking it away, is at the crux of the work. With the recent disaster from Hurricane Sandy, battling in Israel, and the tragedy in Newtown, this piece is proving to be incredibly timely, and artistically all of the collaborators in this project aim to build a conduit to empathetic dialogues or exchanges between witness and performer.

So besides seeing new work on a riveting topic, you can actually support CHRIS MASTERS, WHO IS AN HONEST TO GOD WORKING CHOREOGRAPHER: That is: one who carries a full-time "desk job" so he can afford to create new dances on fantastic dancers. It is exactly his spirit of 'do what it takes' that offers freelance dancers opportunities to grow and to work = and offers audiences a wider venue to see work. Can't we all show some support? For $25 (4.5 Starbuck's Beverages) you can actually show crucial support for the Arts!
Chris is doing his part -- and so can't we all do out part too? 

Further it is not only Chris you are supporting -- but also  FLICfest, a dance festival developed in Brooklyn, that is dedicated to supporting  complete, evening-length work from established Modern choreographers. Over six nights, an array of choreographers will be presented in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn.   FLICfest (feature-length independent choreography) is the first Brooklyn-based dance festival dedicated solely to feature-length dances. Each night of the festival will feature complete works by two choreographers, as well as informal cabaret performances encompassing a wide range of styles. The festival's producers believe that a feature-length dance (50 – 65 minutes) is important for both the artist and audience who is committed to works that present an aesthetic, narrative or a situation that requires time to develop. FLICfest provides these visionary artists a platform to explore the depth of their vision and audiences more time to linger.

As more choreographers create work that integrates movement, visual and musical elements into a new form of dance theatre, the support system for such work is deteriorating. Now more than ever, self-producing artists cannot take on the costs of presenting wholly completed work of 50-60 minutes and instead focus on creating short works that fit into showcases. By providing a venue and support to choreographers who are willing to take the risk and follow the vision necessary to create feature-length work, FLICfest is positioned to take a leading role in the revitalization and sustainability of modern dance. 

All this goes to say that by reaching out and supporting these intimate, lesser-publicized events of those who don't have deep pockets, we are, as dancers and a community, taking back our right to work and utilizing our own power to expand our audience and our working opportunities.

ANYWAY! DON"T DELAY! GET TICKETS AT http://www.flicfest.org/tickets/

Show is at 7:30 PM. Doors open at 7 PM

TOI! TOI! TOI! 

B.  

RUSSELL MALIPHANT IS IN NYC!

Russell Maliphant is playing at THE JOYCE THEATRE Dec 5-9th. 

I don't know what you have planned but whatever it is,  I assure you, it can wait!

You mustmustmustmustmustmust MUST! DROP IT ALL AND GO!  

Trust Me. You'll Thank Me.

That's all.

B.

GO HERE FOR TICKETS!

NOW PLAYING: Events This Week!

EVENTS THIS WEEK!

MAY 23:
ABT Alina Cojocaru and JOSE MANUEL CARRENO finish the Don Q. run Monday evening!

MAY 23:
Isadora Duncan Birthday Celebration

6:00 p.m., VIP Cocktail Reception and Insider Preview
7:30 p.m., Birthday Performance & After-party

Place: City Center Rehearsal Studios, 5th Floor
Tickets: $60 (VIP Cocktail Reception, Insider Preview, Birthday Performance, and After-party)
$30 (Birthday Performance and After-party)

To purchase your tickets and RSVP now, click here:
Isadora Duncan Birthday Celebration
You may also call 212-691-5040 or email
info@isadoraduncan.org.

MAY 24-26:
ABT 3 days of a Mixed Billing with Tudor, Ratmansky and Wheeldon all on the same night! Don't miss your chance to see this talented trio of choreographers all on one program! BRAVO! moe info here!

MAY 26:
Joffrey Ballet Jazz & Contemporary Concert MILLER THEATRE 7pm

The performance will showcase Dust In Wong, choreographed by program director Dorrell Martin, which celebrates motherhood and the beauty of life; a new jazz piece by Mario Zambrano, influenced by great choreographers such as William Forsythe and Ohad Naharin; plus many more great New York contemporary choroeographers.
$15 general admission

MAY 27-31: ABT Close out May with the dramatic powerhouse of Giselle with Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes, as well as New York's favorite Ballet Couple, the dignified Irina Dvorvenko with Maxim Beloserkovsky and then of course, Jose Manuel Carreno with Julie Kent

MAY 27 & 28:
Joffrey School Performance
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

On Friday, May 27, the Joffrey Trainee Program, directed by Davis Robertson, will present a performance of all new choreographic works by Julie Bour, Brian McSween, Mr. Robertson and Mario Zambrano.

On Saturday, May 28, the Joffrey Ballet School's Classical Trainee students perform an evening of mixed repertory, featuring works by Bournonville, Petipa, Vainonen and others. The evening's event will be the culmination of an intensive year of training under the directorship of Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov.
Performances on both Friday and Saturday will include Cirque du Joffrey, choreographed by David Fernandez. This work will feature students from the Children and Young Dancer Programs, under the direction of Jo Matos.

Join the Joffrey Ballet School as they celebrate the technical and artistic achievements of these gifted young dancers.

Tickets Available now at: http://skirballcenter.nyu.edu/calendar/joffreyballetspring
DISCOUNTED TICKETS AVAILABLE AT BOX OFFICE

MAY 28: MAY 28 & 29:

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: LATIN CHOREOGRAPHERS FESTIVAL
seeking Latin Choreographers in all Genres; also seeking entries from Non-Latin Choreographers to be chosen as featured Non-Latin Choreographer! go here for details


ELLISON BALLET SPRING PERFORMANCE
830pm & 730pm
Salvatore Capezio Theatre @ Peridance
http://www.ellisonballet.com/

On the Program: Talisman Variation (Gusev after Petipa/Drigo) 1889

Halequinade Pdd (Petipa/Drigo) 1900
Franz Variation from Coppelia (Saint Leon/Delibes) 1870
James Variation - La Sylphide (Bournonville/Lovenskold) 1836
What's the Pointe Solo (Shannon/J.S. Bach)
Diana and Acteon Pdd (Vaganova/Pugni)
Perpetuum (EE/Bach)
Flames of Paris variation (Vainonen/Asafiev) 1932
Nothing to Hide Solo (Verduzco) 2011
White Swan Pdd (Ivanov/Tchaikovsky) 1895
Grand Pas Classique Variation (Gsovsky/Auber) 1949
Don Quixote Pdd (Petipa/Minkus) 1869
Graduation/Award Ceremony (to conclude Sun perf only)

New contemporary and neoclassical works by cutting-edge choreographers Michael Shannon, Ursula Verduzco and Edward Ellison, including Ellison's award-winning "Perpetuum," recipient of the 1st Place Ensemble Category Award at the YAGP 2011 Semi-Finals competition in Torrington, CT.

MAY 29:
Lar Lubovitch Summer Workshop at Skidmore College
12:00pm @ Skidmore College

NOW PLAYING: 1 NIGHT ONLY! NEW CHAMBER BALLET

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Go just 5 minutes outside Manhattan, and see this very delightful small company! And it's cheap!
I have to Babysit and can't make it so of course, I'm bummed... but please, GO FOR ME!
The last event I went to of theirs was just amazing.. really... quite special with wonderfullive music and new choreography.. it was memorable! So please support our small but vibrant comapnies in town... you can't afford not to.

'New Voices' featuring New Chamber Ballet
Center for Performance Research, 361 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

New Chamber Ballet appears in the 'New Voices' series at the Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn. On the program are Night Music, Moments, Silk for 2 and Toccatina, with guest violinist Jennifer Choi.

Tickets are $15. For reservations, call (718) 349-1210 or email info@cprnyc.org
Home

DIRECTIONS: (It's easy, People!)
L Train to Graham Avenue (3rd Stop in Brooklyn)
Exit right out of turnstile
Left down Graham Avenue
Left on Jackson Street
Right on Manhattan Avenue

NOW PLAYING: ABT & JKO WITH SUSAN JAFFE

ITS OFFICIAL: I HAVE COMPLETED MY FIRST B. IS FOR BALLERINA INTERVIEW with none other than the incredible, gracious and infectuous SUSAN JAFFE!   

Last week Susan I shared an Early Morning Chat and I promise to have it all posted for you in the coming days...however, a sneek preview: Susan has some New Choreography up her sleeve and you can go and see that NOW -- as in at 2pm today APRIL 11th at Hunter College's Kaye Playhouse! 

With Susan premiering her new work on the supremely talented students at JKO, ABT's Student Academy, you are sure to be delighted in viewing and supporting Mdme. Jaffe as she ventures into her newest role, behind the scenes! 

Susan and I spoke at length about her history and new direction in life back with her home company, so come to the conversation with some fresh information, as you support the stars in training from one of the most elite academies in the Country.  What better way to spend your Lunch Hour?

In addition to Susan's Premiere, see Les Sylphides, as well as new works by Harriet Clark, Franco De Vita & Raymond Lukens!


TIME: 2pm (this is the last showing!)
PLACE: The Kaye Playhouse
East 68th Street between Park & Lexington Avenues

(212) 772-4448 Box Office Telephone
(212) 650-3661 FAX

MAY LESSONS!

April Showers bring May Flowers and let me tell you, NYC is ready!  Although it seems the entire world is celebrating the fall of a certain fellow named Bin Laden this week, I am choosing to celebrate all the great events that are heating up in Dance World this month, with a Calendar rivaling Summer! Mark your calendar for some of the Events below and stay tuned this month to learn more:

B. IS FOR BALLERINA:  Tune in this month for our very first Ballerina Interview -- I'm not going to spill the beans, but this is gonna be so fun.......I can't wait!

CALL FOR CHOREOGRAPHY: 4th ANNUAL LATIN CHOREOGRAPHERS FESTIVAL!
Are you a Latin Choreographer? Well check out The Latin Choreographer's Festival Website for more information on this years exciting event!  Already in their 4th Year, it is finally official that this exciting and often sold out Festival is here to stay! NOT LATIN? FEAR NOT!  Each year they showcase one Non-Latin Choreographer as well -- so no excuses, Apply Now! DEADLINE: MAY 28th!

ABT SEASON LAUNCHES AT THE MET MAY 16th! You MUST see this season at The Met!  We've got Swan Lake, Cinderella & Sleeping Beauty coming and then we've got the Classics to Premiers program with shorts by Wheeldon, Ratmansky, Tudor and Hollywood's Oscar bringing Choreographer, Benjamin Millipied.  And also, let's not forget the luscious and heart-wrenching Lady of The Camellias with Roberto Bolle and Diana Vishneva.  Add to this that they are bringing more Ballet Stars from afar than ever before, with Roberto Bolle, Diana Vishneva, Natalia Osipova, Alina Cojocaru & SEMIONOVA!  And then consider our already fantastic home company there with Principal Premieres with Cory Stearns and that this is sadly, the last season of none other than Jose Manuel Carreno -- and you will see that it's a crime to miss even one day!  And with Student Ticket prices being as affordable as a movie, you can't make any excuses!  

MAY PROGRAMMING:
May 16: Begins with the rock star preformances of The Gala including 12 PIECES OF GREAT DANCE! 
May 18: Super Hero Soloist Daniil Simkin premiere's his Basilio for The Met in the the 2:30 matinee of Don Q. & Cory Stearns debuts as a Principal with Michelle Wiles in the evening!
May 21: Polina Semionova and David Hallberg heat up the afternoon with Don Q. for the Sat. Matinee!
May 23: Alina Cojocaru and JOSE MANUEL CARRENO finish the Don Q. run Monday evening!
May 24-26: 3 days of a Mixed Billing with Tudor, Ratmansky and Wheeldon all on the same night!  Don't miss your chance to see today's most desired Choreographers all on one program!
May 27-31: Close out May with the dramatic powerhouse of Giselle with Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes, as well as New York's favorite Ballet Couple, the dignified Irina Dvorvenko with Maxim Beloserkovsky and then of course, Jose Manuel Carreno with Julie Kent!



THEN, on top of all this, ABT presents additional May programs at the The Kaye Theatre:

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
2011 Spring Performance
The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre presents the Pre-Professional Division students performing excerpts from

“Les Sylphides,” as well as new works by Harriet Clark, Franco De Vita, Susan Jaffe and Raymond Lukens
Tuesday, May 10 at 8PM & Wednesday, May 11 at 2PM
On Sale Date: March 15

Tickets: $30, $25
Seniors and Students: $27, $20 (must be purchased in person with a valid I.D.)
Contact: The Kaye Playhouse Box Office (212) 772-4448


ABT II
American Ballet Theatre presents ABT II in an evening of mixed repertory featuring classical and contemporary work including the New York City Premiere of Jessica Lang’s Vivace Motifs.
Wednesday, May 11 at 8PM & Thursday, May 12 at 8PM

On Sale Date: March 15

Tickets: $35, $25
Seniors and Students: $30, $20 (must be purchased in person with a valid I.D.)
Contact: The Kaye Playhouse Box Office (212) 772-4448

MAY 12th:  NEW CHAMBER BALLET is one of my favorite small companies -- and is premiering another glorious evening of live music and new ballet choreography on thier program on the  'New Voices' Series at at the Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn. On the program are Night Music, Moments, Silk for 2 and Toccatina, with guest violinist Jennifer Choi.

Few are as talented as Magloire at curating a chamber sized company with such exquisite taste, so show your support for the development of new ballet by attending this special evening!

Thursday, May 12th, 2011, 7:30pm

Center for Performance Research, 361 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Tickets are $15. For reservations, call (718) 349-1210 or email info@cprnyc.org

For directions, click here.

Unfamiliar with the New Chamber Ballet experience?  Check out The Times article here -- as well as my own interview with Director, Miro Magloire in my Men In Tights Column, here!

MAY DANCE AT THE JOYCE: May is bringing loads of excitement at The Joyce Theatre with Armitage Gone through May 8th, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba May 10-22 and Complexions Contemporary Ballet May 24-29th!

In addition check out their MASTER CLASS SERIES with $15 classes May 13th & 20th from 10am -12 noon with Danza Contemporanea de Cuba!

Please contact Tiffany LaPearl at tlapearl@joyce.org to register or if you have any questions.



MAY WORKSHOPS AT PERIDANCE! Peridance is getting a headstart on the Summer -- check out these great workshops in May, listed below!

New Teachers/ClasseMaija Garcia
Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co.
May 2 - 6
Kate Skarpetowska
Modern Workshop
May 2 - 6
Baila Society
Salsa
May 7 - June 25

Nicole Wolcott
Contemporary
May 16 - 20
Helen Pickett
Forsythe- Based improv
May 16 - 20

Amanda Wells
Modern
May 23 - 27

Bennyroyce Royon
Contemporary
May 30 - June 3
Limón Repertory
Betty Jones
May 31 - June 10


Stay tuned for more updates as we go forward in May, and enjoy smelling the flowers!

B.

EASTER WEEKEND: Reflections on the Holy Days....And then, of course, Class!

It's a Holiday weekend and for those who celebrate, a special time of the year to reflect on the nature of forgiveness and the concept of resurrection and re-birth.  I always find this time of the year helpful not only in my personal spiritual life, but also to my endeavors in Dance.  Seeing that I can rarely ever really live up to my own expectations day by day, which aren't really, too seemingly impossible, it goes without saying that I certainly can't live up to the expectations of the Dance/ Ballet World, which are, in contrast, certifiably impossible!

Each day passes and I can make my daily list of failures..didn't stretch enough, didn't finish my blog brochures, didn't get to the gym, didn't relax my neck, didn't do yoga, didn't sleep enough, didn't do my 5th position press exercises, didn't put on pointe shoes, forgot to engage my turnout the entire time in tendu..thus making my tendus for the day useless, ate too many empty calories....... and on and on.  By the end of this daily tally I've usually convinced myself that I don't even deserve to improve...none the less actually ever perform in any sort of dance work.  However, when I think of the idea of a God Figure forgiving us all of our certainly more important, mortal sins, then of course I can feel slight relief from my presumably lesser, ballet sins... right? LOL!  But Seriously:  the idea of resurrection and forgiveness can come in mightily handy when my inner critical eye threatens to thwart both my efforts and resolve.  I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way... many of us live life with perfectly detailed ideas of "what we should do and who we should be" in order to deserve our success.  And many, if not all of us, seemingly fail each day to make the cut.  Ooops.

Yet, here we all are, together and hopefully, forgiving ourselves and each other as we each take the barre each day and offer ourselves yet, one more chance. In many ways the studio becomes a form of Church; a place where we convene in community to pay our penance and re-birth ourselves into the most perfect versions of ourselves for that day.  And somehow, with some Grace, that is enough. 

Regardless of where you stand in terms of the "The Official Celebration" I do encourage you all to join in some of the fantastic events that are specially suited to the season, below:

Get to CHURCH Class!

Easter Sunday at BALLET ARTS: All classes $13! (that's 1999 prices, people!) Also there will be an Easter Egg Hunt for free classes!  Lonne Moretton will be away April 24. Floor Barre is cancelled. Kenny Larson will teach Int Ballet 12:30-2:30  Samba Open Level 4:00-5:30 Richard Marsden's Missing Link class  5:30-7pm.

Pay Your Tithes to the American Cancer Society!
 
DANIEL ULBRICHT OF NYCB &  DANCE AGAINST CANCER
 
The Manhattan Movement & Arts Center is proud to present Dance Against Cancer. The year's performance will take place on Monday, April 25, 2011. Cocktails at 6 PM, performance at 7 PM and reception at 8:30 PM.
The evening’s performance, produced by Erin Fogarty and Daniel Ulbricht, will include three World Premiere pieces and will be performed by Daniel Ulbricht, Robert Fairchild, Amar Ramasar, Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Wendy Whelan, Maria Kowroski, and Sterling Hyltin, as well as Matthew Rushing, Attila Csiki, Keigwin + Company, Alex Wong, and Martin Harvey to choreography by George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Benjamin Millepied, Larry Keigwin, Lar Lubovitch, Earl Mosley, Alex Wong and Robert Fairchild, and Daniel Ulbricht.   To purchase tickets or to make a donation, please visit HERE.



DANCE AGAINST CANCER
Manhattan Movement & Arts Center
248 West 60th Street
New York, NY
 
‎6:00PM Monday, April 25th
 
G*d Bless Us All,
 
B.

NOW PLAYING: This week's Under $20 events!

I know you are broke.  I am broke too.  So,  let's see what we can attend for UNDER 20 BUCKS!

WED MARCH 16th  7:00 PM

BALLET AT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS & DESIGN (MAD)

UNDER THE INFLUENCE SERIES
$18

Miro Magloire's New Chamber Ballet is performing on Wednesday evening for the Museum of Art & Design at Columbus Circle!  As you know I really love this little ballet company here in the city and so should you.  LOL! In addition to Miro's work you can also see A REAL ABT Principal, Michelle Wiles, performing a new work by Ben Munisteri. So this is a great little Under $20 event. 

The Official Press Release:
See two new works by Miro Magloire, and an adaptation of his ballet "Silk," at the Museum of Arts + Design in Columbus Circle. On a stage even more intimate than usual, the works explore a new, more theatrical side of Magloire, and include a duet to German composer Helmut Lachenmann's seldom-heard Toccatina for violin.

Also on the program are American Ballet Theater principal Michele Wiles and choreographer Ben Munisteri. It is the second installment of "Dance Under The Influence", a new dance series at the Museum. (The series' title refers to choreographers being influenced by other arts, and a post-performance discussion will allow you to quiz them personally.)

Considering the artist roster, this performance is likely to sell out. Get your tickets early
Tickets are $18 ($15 for MAD members) and can be purchased by calling 212.299.7740, or at

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/139366

SAT MARCH 19th  730 PM

BALLET FILM: FERNANDO BUJONES

STEPS ON BROADWAY - LOFT 3
74th & Broadway, Entrance by Fairway's

$5 BUCKS!

Fabrice Herrault, esteemed ballet teacher & FILM MAKER, whose fantastic Film of Claude Bessy of the Paris Opera Ballet opened this year's Dance on Film Festival at Lincoln Center, offers us an extraordinary peek at the career of Fernando Bujones for ONLY $5!  Come up to Loft 3 on the 4th floor at Steps (74th & Broadway, entrance right beside FAIRWAY'S), pay $5 BUCKS, and sit in comfy seating to watch this film on a large screen.  

This is really a great event and it has a high atendance rate so get there early to be guaranteed a seat! 

Also, BYOPC -- Bring Your Own Pop Corn -- Trader Joe's at 72nd & Broadway has a big bag of Pop Corn With Olive Oil for $1.79 & a large bottle of Italy's Blue Bubbly Spring Water for $1.29...or get a $1 Can of Coke at the Subway Station.   That means for $8.08 MAX you can SEE A GREAT BALLET FILM WITH POPCORN & A COKE!  

NO EXCUSES! BE THERE!

STAY TUNED: INTERVIEW WITH MIRO MAGLOIRE!

IN JUST A FEW HOURS MADAME B. 

WILL PUBLISH HER EXCITING IN-DEPTH CHAT

WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHAMBER BALLET,

MIRO MAGLOIRE, ABOUT HIS NEW WORKS PREMIERING

THIS WEEKEND, FEB 4th & 5th @ CITY CENTER STUDIOS! 

I HEART BALLET: New Chamber Ballet (Live Music & New Ballets) Feb 4, 5

Last time we spoke I got you all pumped for an interview with Filmmaker Fabrice Herrault over his film premiere at the Dance on Camera Film Festival at Lincoln Center here in NY.  That was back on the 28th of Jan!  Well, in typical french fashion, Mr. Herrault was busy as a...beeee..ile, and so of course the Pre-Film Interview is now slated as a Post-Film Interview.....Le Sigh. So, for those of you who made it -- stay tuned for an in-depth discussion of the film -- and for those of you who didn't make it to the Premiere -- well you missed out on a nearly sold out event featuring the luminous company of Mr. Herrault, Madame Bessy, as well as the effervescent Mrs. Gene Kelly -- Writer, Patricia Ward Kelly.  This all means that you should feel, really,  pretty badly -- as the company and the film -- and the reception Bubbly --were of course, Superb!  So stay tuned to make yourself feel better by catching the Post-Premiere chat!

Now onto the CURRENT WEEK'S BALLET ACTIVITIES:

Set aside this coming weekend.  Not the entire weekend -- but a few hours in the evening on either Friday or Saturday.  For just $22 ($12 for Seniors, Students & Professional Dancers) you can enjoy an evening of new ballet choreography, LIVE classical music for the Piano/Violin and a gorgeous studio atmosphere hosted by NY's Best Little Ballet Secret yet, that is: THE NEW CHAMBER BALLET.  Under the direction of Award Winning Composer/Choreographer Miro Magloire, you will find yourself under the spell of Debussy, Saint Saens, Handel and new compositions from Mr. Magloire.  In addition to the lovely repertoire of music, we will also see 5 Ballets with Pas de Trois billing between Magloire, Constantine Baecher (Royal Danish Ballet) & Emery LeCrohne.

IN ADDITION: Mr. Magloire has promised The Madame a PRE-SHOW CHAT -- so outside of any unforseen Tragedy, check in Thursday for a glimpse into the mind of one of NY's most fascinating and young (!) Artistic Visionaries.

New Chamber Ballet: Klavierstück (trailer)

In the meantime, reserve your tickets shortly to secure your seating at this intimate showing.

NEW CHAMBER BALLET
New York City Center Studios, Studio # 4

130 W 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues

New York, NY

(N Q R W  TRAINS TO 57th Street)

Friday Feb 4  /  Sat Feb 5 8PM.

FOR TICKETS: Tickets can purchased at http://www.smarttix.com/ or by phone at (212) 868-4444.